The Secret Hideaway
by Burning Rayne
Summary: Hermione likes Harry. Ron's disgusting display makes her lose some sleep. What happens when she seeks Harry out to confide in? Sorry, I'm crap at summaries


Harry walked through the portrait hole. He spotted Ron and Lavender snogging over at their favorite spot by the fire. He didn't really want to see this, so he walked over to the table in the corner coverd with piles of books. Behind one of the smaller stacks, he could barely make out the mane of bushy hair that was Hermione. She was visibly upset and was scribbling out her answers furiously on her essay for Snape's Defence Against the Dark Arts Class. Harry sat down next to her, but she took no notice.

"Hermione?"

"Huh? What? Oh, Harry. It's you. Umm...yeah. Hi." She paused to pick up some of he papers she dropped. "You.....startled me. Is there something I can do for you?"

"That was just what I was thinking. Are you ok?"

"Err......yes" she lied. "I'm quite alright thank you. I just......I need to go to sleep, goodnight."

" 'Night 'Mione."

She walked up the girls' staircase in a daze and up to her room. Harry waved his wand and all of her books and papers shrunk themselves into miniature models of themselves. Feeling disappointed, and a little disgusted, he threw a dirty look towards the snogging pair and took off towards his own bed. He finally reached his four poster bed and changed into his pajamas, before climbing into his bed. He sank into its comfort and warmth and pulled his blankets up to his chin. He turned over and drifted off into a restless sleep.

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Hermione sat on her bed and breathed ragedly._ Why was Ron with that skank?_ She pulled on her pajamas and crawled into her bed. A little while later, when all of her roommates were sleeping soundly, including Lavender, she snuck out of her bed and crept down the spiral staircase into the common room. She looked at the hourglass, and it read 1:46 am. Everyone had already went to sleep. She walked towards the foot of the spiral staircase that lead to the boys dormitories. She breathed in deeply, and set off up the staircase. Reaching the top of the stairs, Hermione stopped in front of the door marked **Sixth Years**. Clutching on to a thread of hope and determination, she walked through the door.

She crept through the mess that was their bedroom, and reached the middle bed, which Hermione knew to be Harry's. She looked through the curtains and noticed that he was tossing and turning, all the while, clutching his scar. She sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his hair softly. His expression slowly turned peaceful and his body relaxed fully. He lay haphazardly on his back, with limbs spread out amongst the tangled sheets. Hermione waved her wand, and the bedding was untangled from his body and replaced gently over him. She pulled back the corner of the blanket and lay down next to him. She faced him and stared at his face, taking in his appearance. _He's so cute when he sleps like that! _She stroked his cheek and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. He pulled her close and continued to sleep, with her now wrapped up in his arms. Hermione felt herself become weak, and her breathing began to match his. _I'm so lucky to have Harry. He is my whole life._ And with those final thoughts, Hermione drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

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Harry awoke the next morning to find a girl envelopped in his arms. More shocking to him was that this was the tiny frame of Hermione. He jumped slightly and stared at her, releasing her. She stirred, and looked up into his face.

"Morning."

"'Mione?"

"Mmm?"

"Why are you in my bed?"

"I was having troubles sleeping, so I came up here to talk to you. But you were sleeping so peacefully." she lied. "So I just crawled in."

"Hermione, you know you suck at lying."

"Okay, fine. I was really upset at Ron, and I couldn't sleep. So, I came up here to talk to you. But when I got up here, you were having a nightmare. When it passed, I wanted to stay here to make sure you were alright."

"Okay. But don't scare me like that."

She blushed slightly. "I won't."

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Hermione left the room to go get changed, and Harry took this opportunity to reflect on what had just happened. _I remember the dream. Voldemort was standing over my friends with his snake surrounding them. But then, a glowing light appeared and the dream was gone. What could this mean? Was it just a dream?_ When he finished getting dressed, he walked down to the common room to meet up with Hermione. He waited for a few more minutes, and Hermione came down in a green sundress that fell just past her knees. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she wore a slight amount of eyeliner to accentuate her honey brown eyes. She wore wedge shoes that laced their way up her calves.

"Are you ready? After breakfast, we'll head down to Hogsmeade."

Harry was stunned at her appearance.

"Harry?"

"What?- Oh yeah, sure Hermione."

They walked down to breakfast and heads turned at Hermione. She blushed slightly, and Harry found a new appreciation to how beautiful his best friend was. She positively glowed. _Harry. Stop. Don't think of her that way. She's your best friend._

They sat down at an empty spot somewhere near the middle of the Gryffindor table and started to eat. Harry kept glancing over to Hermione as she was talking about the _Daily Prophet_.

"Well, there's no new news about Voldemort, or any funny deaths going on. It seems too quiet. He must be planning something. But what? Oh, it's all too confusing. I suppose we should go now, right Harry? Umm...Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright? You've hardly touched your food."

"What?- Oh, yeah. I'm fine." He shovelled some food in his mouth and got up, Swallowing with a great effort. "Okay. Where to first?"

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They walked into the three broomsticks and immediately spotted Hagrid. They made their way over to him and took seats across from him.

"Alrigh, Mione? Harry?"

"We're great Hagrid. How is everything with the new-"

But then Harry was off in his own world. He absently stared at Hermione. He took in the way her hair was pulled back neatly, and fell into tight ringlets. He stared at her brown eyes, and how he fell into their depths as he gazed on. He dropped his Butterbeer on the floor and stooped to pick it up. He noticed a small tattoo of a Butterfly on her ankle. How had he never noticed that before? _Stupid uniforms. _He slowly came back up, watching her legs cross and uncross in conversation.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not feeling well. I need to go for some air. I'll be back."

"Er- alright."

Harry left Hermione and Hagrid alone. Hagrid leaned over the table towards Hermione. "I think that you need to go talk to Harry. It looks like he's having some problems." He chuckled and made his way over to the bar to get another drink. Puzzled, Hermione followed Harry out the door.

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_What the hell am I thinking? Why all of a sudden am I getting these feelings towards Hermione? She's my best friend. I don't want to wreck anything with her._ He was sitting on a large rock in front of the Shrieking shack. He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him.

"Harry? Are you ok?"

"Fine. Just fine." He mumbled.

"Alright. Well if you need anything..." and she turned to leave.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love Ron?"

She was taken aback. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering."

She gave him an appraising look. "No. I'll see you later." _You don't realize that the one I love is you._ She left Harry with his thoughts.

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Hermione walked her way up to the castle as the clouds rolled in. It started to rain very hard before long, and when she walked through the doors into the Entrance Hall, she was completely drenched. Nearly Headless Nick floated towards her as she began to wring her hair out onto the floor.

"Hello Hermione. Did you have to bring the lake in with you?"

"Hello, Nick. How are you this evening?" she asked wearily.

"I could be better. It looks like the same could be said for you, Miss Granger."

"It's just the rain. I've only just got this dress from mum, and I don't want it wrecked."

"Well, I'll let you get to the common room to get yourself all dried off."

"Thank you Nick. Have a good night."

"You too Hermione."

Hermione made her way up the grand staircase up to the seventh floor where the common room was. She trudged up the stairs to her bedroom, with which she shared with four other girls. She changed into a pair of pink plaid pajama pants that her mum sent her (they were from her grandfather), and a pale pink tank top. She then pulled on her favourite lilac housecoat, put on her fuscia coloured fuzzy slippers, and sat on the seat on the window sill. She drew her housecoat around her and shivered. She waved her wand, and her hair dried, leaving them in nice, frizzless, curls. She waved her wand again, and her hair pulled itself into a messy, but organized bun. She pulled out her favourite book, _Hogwarts : A History_, and stared blankly at the pages while thinking about Harry. She drifted off to sleep, the book clutched to her chest.

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Harry ran up the stairs trying to go and see if Hermione was alright. When he reached the sixth stair, there was a loud screeching sound. The stairs lowered themselves into a slide and Harry slid back down into the common room. Some people laughed, and Harry remembered when Ron had tried to go up to Hermione. He looked over towards the fire, and, sure enough, Ron and Lavender were entangled in each others limbs. It looked like they were trying to eat each others faces. Slightly repulsed, Harry walked up the staircase to the boy's dormitories. He slumped down onto the bed and looked out the window. It was still cloudy, but it had stopped raining. He then had a stroke of brilliance. He grabbed his Firebolt and took off out the window.

Harry hovered in place outside the dormitory for the sixth year girls. He noticed that Hermione was leaning against the sill, fast asleep. She looked like she had been crying. Slightly worried, Harry waved his wand and muttered _Alohomora_. With a cool breeze coming in, Hermione stirred. She noticed Harry there.

"Always have to get around the rules some way or the other huh?"

"Well, you know me. You just can't stop genius." They burst out laughing. "Come out with me."

She looked a little frightened. "Umm...Harry. I'm not exactly comfortable on a broomstick."

"You will be."

She looked torn. Harry knew that her fear of heights was battling with her desire to go with him. He held out his hand to her. "Please?"

"Alright. Just give me a moment." She removed her housecoat and pulled on a sweater. She took off the fuzzy slippers and put on a pair of trainers. She climbed onto the window ledge and Harry moved his broomstick closer to the window so that she could get on. When she was seated behind him, he moved away from the window slightly, and she gripped him around the midsection tightly. He beamed inside. Harry urged the broomstick forward at a nice slow pace. Hermione revelled at the view, and the closeness that she felt toward Harry at that moment. They glided over the Forbidden Forest, and watched as the centaurs gathered in a clearing. Harry turned the broomstick towards the lake. They flew just over the glassy surface, and watched as the Grindylows beneath the surface hunted their quarry for their dinner, and saw the giant squid lounging in the shallows, basking in the moonlight. Harry felt Hermione's hands go into the pockets of his sweater, and felt her shiver. He flew over to a sheltered area where the lake and the forest meet, and lowered the brromstick towards the ground. Hermione got off, followed by Harry.

"What is this place?"

"Just a place I like to come to when I want to think. Come with me."

He grabbed her hand and led her into the forest. It became very dark all of a sudden. Harry stopped walking, and Hermione walked into him.

"Harry? What's going on?"

"Nothing. It's alright. Just a minute. _Incendio_."

A fire lit in a firepit. The light and warmth washed over Hermione. She took in her surroundings. There was a small couch that sat low to the ground by the firepit, The ground around them seemed to be made of cobblestone. There were partial walls, and the trees made a roof.

"What is this place?"

"It seemed to be an old house that fell into disrepair. The trees have done the damage to the walls and the roof. I cleared away the debris and supported the walls with some spells I had come across when we were studying for the triwizard tournament. Then, I conjured up this sofa, and I have been coming here for a long time whenever I needed to think. The only way you can reach it is either by flying, or through the water."

"It is absolutely amazing." Hermione walk around the room, touching the walls, and staring at the stonework. She stopped and turned to look at Harry, who was watching her intently. "Why have you brought me here?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"Us."

Hermione froze. There was no other way around it, she was here now.

"I- I think I'm in love with you 'Mione." He walked around the firepit and stood in front of her, his eyes searching. His emotions were running high. A few moments passed and Harry was getting slightly worried. He couldn't read the expression on her face.

Hermione smiled at his confusion and reached her hands to touch his face. She stood on her toes and gave Harry a long, slow, chaste kiss. She pulled away from him and he smiled that superhero / model smile of his. He placed one of his arms around her waist and placed the other on the side of her face and pulled her in for a real kiss. Her knees drew weak as his tongue did things that she had never experienced. _Mmm... am I ever glad he's a Parselmouth. _He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed their bodies together so that she could support herself on him. Her arms snaked their way around his neck and he walked her backward towards the couch, carefully avoiding the fire. Harry sat down on it, while Hermione placed her legs on either side of Harry's. She straddled him and his hands slid down her back to rest just above the waistband of her pajama pants. Hermione broke the lingering kiss with a pained look on her face.

"Harry? We have to get back. _They'll_ know we're gone."

"Are you sure? Could they stop suffocating each other long enough to realize that we're gone?" he laughed at his own audacity.

"Maybe... but you know that Ginny watches you like a hawk... she's practically stalking you."

"Alright. But let me ask you one more thing."

"Er- okay," she said shakily.

"Will you be with me? For the rest of our lives?"

Hermione looked shell shocked. "Of course! I've waited for years for you to ask me!"

Harry, looking triumphant, scooped up Hermione in his embrace and kissed her with such a passion, it sent fireworks through to their very souls. They slowly ended the kiss and held each other for just a little longer before flying off back to the castle.


End file.
